


Connor

by darkmoore



Series: Wake up call (Nature provides) [2]
Category: Chicago Med, The Sentinel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, M/M, Sentinel/Guide, Sentinel/Guide Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2017-11-14
Packaged: 2019-02-02 07:40:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12722397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkmoore/pseuds/darkmoore
Summary: The hours after the warehouse fire are a nightmare and everyone is deeply affected. Guide Dr. Will Halstead isn't really surprised that Sentinelsawakenin reaction to the situation, he just hadn't thought that his own Sentinel would be among them.





	Connor

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this while I was pretty sick with a very persistent head cold so my dear beta, [Brumeier](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier) probably had a little more work with beating some of these sentences into shape. (I'm pretty sure I slipped into German grammar once or twice). I'm eternally grateful for her help and encouragement. THANK YOU, BRU! All remaining mistakes are entirely my own.

Will left Lexi Olinsky’s room feeling utterly defeated. Things looked bad for the young woman. Even though neither Natalie nor he had explicitly said so, the chances that Lexi would make it were slim. They wouldn’t give up hope of course, but Will had enough experience to know that nothing short of a miracle would save Lexi now. Will also knew that a few of the other burn victims had already died, and that number would likely still go up. He did his best to shut out what little emotional feedback his dampened Guide senses were giving him. Unbonded as he was he usually didn’t have to work too hard to keep other people’s emotions out; he’d been doing it for so long now.

But today was different.

Big catastrophes like this, when there were not only a large number of patients but also an even larger number of friends and family to deal with and emotions were running high, still tested his limits. Will took a moment to shield himself as best as possible, letting all the fear, pain, anger, frustration and grief of everyone around him slide off his mental shielding.

Across the room April, one of his fellow Guides, caught his eye. She didn’t seem to be faring any better than Will himself, which honestly wasn’t surprising at all. No Guide could stay unaffected completely when faced with that much pain, destruction and loss of life, no matter how well they were trained.

Will was about to pull up the next patient file when the doors opened and the paramedics wheeled in a gurney with Jay on it. A flash of worry spiked through Will at the sight of his brother, who seemed to be unconscious. The cut on his forehead was bleeding sluggishly and didn’t look too deep, but there seemed to be something else going on – he just couldn’t figure out what it was, yet.

“What happened?” Will asked and reached for his penlight. Maggie was still busy coordinating all the burn victims so Will resorted to checking Jay over right there in the middle of the corridor.

“I’m not sure. One moment he was discussing the fire with me, the next he convulsed and fell, hitting his head on a table on his way down,” Ruzek, who had followed the EMTs, reported.

One of the EMTs dutifully recited Jay’s vitals and Will reached for his brother’s eyelids to check his pupils. The moment he touched Jay, he felt it: a Sentinel presence, growing stronger by the second. Truth dawned on him and Will opened the c-collar that had been placed around Jay’s neck to protect his spine, to get a look at his brother’s neck. And there it was: right underneath Jay’s right ear an Eye of Horus had appeared.

Jay’s Sentinel mark.

Will’s eyes flicked to his own left wrist where the same mark could be seen. It was the universal mark all Sentinels and Guides shared, but while the Guide marks on the wrist appeared painlessly and as slowly as the Guide gifts emerged, the Sentinel’s marks on the neck appeared suddenly and under a lot of pain. Jay’s mark was red and swollen right now but would settle and turn into the same muted brown color the mark on Will’s wrist was. 

“This wasn’t a seizure,” Will said. “He’s _awakening_.”

It was a startling thought. Jay, his own brother, was _awakening_ as a Sentinel. Will had spent his whole life wondering if he would ever get to meet his Sentinel, if he’d ever get to bond, and a familiar wave of longing rushed through him. Will was happy for Jay. His brother deserved this, deserved to be with his Guide. He deserved the unconditional love and support bonding would give him. God knew both of them had had little enough of that in their lives.

“He yours?” The young EMT’s question startled Will out of his thoughts. He didn’t know the guy but that didn’t mean much – due to the fire they got Paramedics from all over the place and Will really couldn’t know every EMT in the city.

“No. God no.” He grinned and re-fastened the c-collar. “He’s my brother.” Will found the idea of a sibling bond more than just a little disturbing.

Maggie arrived and told them which bay to take, and apparently she had overheard at least part of the conversation because she didn’t ask any questions. Instantly nurses started to bustle around them and Jay was placed on the bed carefully.

“I need a head CT to make sure the symptoms are due to his _awakening_ and not the result of a head trauma. And get Lindsey here. I’m pretty sure she’s the one who pulled him.”

“I’ll get her,” Ruzek said, and left to make the call.

Will was about to check Jay’s head wound properly when April appeared in the doorway.

“Dr. Halstead, we’re needed in the Sentinel suite on the cardiology floor. It’s Dr. Rhodes. He’s _awakening_ and they think one of us here at the hospital might be his Guide.” There was a worry line creasing her brow as she turned and left, not waiting for Will to follow her.

Will’s heart started to race and his stomach did a little flip. So more than one Sentinel had _awakened_. And Connor was one of them. For a second Will allowed himself the fantasy that he would be Connor’s Guide. They were friends, good friends even, but never more than that. Will hadn’t thought Connor swung that way, seeing as how the only relationships Connor had had since Will had met him had been with women.

But now that Connor was _awakening_ it was in the realm of possibility that Connor could end up with a male Guide. Sentinels were fluid in their sexual preferences – it was nature’s way of ensuring there wouldn’t arise any problems from bonding.

“Natalie, can you take over here?” Will asked, and as soon as she agreed he made his way to the elevators. On his way up to cardiology he was joined by three more Guides from different departments; two women and one man. Will could see that the women could barely contain their excitement at the prospect of being Connor’s Guide. Connor was a bit of a flirt and it was no secret that many of the female employees at Med were attracted to the handsome, rich, kind… Will told his brain to shut the hell up. It wasn’t as if he himself hadn’t dreamed of being more than just friends with Connor.

They reached cardiology and it was Dr. Latham who sent them in the direction of the suite. When they entered they found Connor sitting on the couch in the corner of the comfortably furnished and properly stocked Sentinel suite. He had his hand pressed against the right side of his neck where Will knew his Sentinel mark must have emerged, just like it had for Jay. Other than that Connor seemed to be surprisingly calm and collected, and way more lucid than Will had come to expect based on other reports of _awakenings_.

Connor frowned at them as they stepped closer. April and one of the pediatric nurses stood off to the side, having obviously been ruled out as Connor’s Guide but possibly there as support; Sentinels could still gain a certain amount of comfort from Guides not their own until their mate arrived.

One of the female nurses who had come in with Will walked towards Connor in an obvious attempt to touch him. 

“Don’t!” Connor said in a strained voice, and then focused solely on Will, his gaze intense. Something was happening but Will wasn’t quite sure what it was; Connor just kept staring at him, completely transfixed.

“Will, can you come over here but not… touch me yet?” Connor suddenly asked, startling the rest of the people in the room into action. They backed away slightly, giving Will room to walk over to where Connor was sitting.

As soon as Will entered touching range he was hit by a strong sense of recognition that was dizzying in its intensity.

“Guide,” Connor choked out, and he sounded somewhere between awed and giddy.

Will felt a strong pull from Connor and it took all his willpower not to touch him then and there. He needed a moment to fully comprehend what was happening. It was very surreal. Apparently _he_ had pulled Connor. _He_ was Connor’s Guide.

Behind them Will could hear April ushering the other Guides out the door and closing it behind herself quietly. 

“Sentinel,” Will finally acknowledged, and Connor closed his eyes for a second, clearly relieved. As if he’d seriously thought Will would reject him and damn them both to a life of inadequate drugs and misery.

Will sat down on the couch next to Connor but far enough that they wouldn’t accidentally touch. He had no idea why Connor didn’t want to be touched, seeing that his Sentinel surely was in pain and his strained, out of control senses would settle as soon as they had skin contact. Why was Connor denying himself that comfort? What was going on?

“How are you feeling?” Will asked hesitantly. He was somewhat at a loss as to how to proceed.

“I’m okay for now. Pain’s manageable. I learned a few things while I was in Riyadh. The Saudis taught me a couple meditation techniques and exercises to control my senses should I ever _awaken._ ” Connor’s voice was strained, a fine sheen of perspiration covering his face, but he seemed to be honest, if the empathic feedback Will was getting from him was accurate.

“How did you know you might _awaken_?” Will asked curiously. Not touching Connor was becoming harder by the second as the pull of their connection became stronger. “No one knows if they’ll become a Sentinel and there’s no way to test for it.” Not for lack of trying, though. 

“My mother was a Guide. Sentinel and Guide gifts can be hereditary,” Connor said, and took a slow, measured breath, obviously trying to control the pain that was certainly coursing through his body.

“Connor, why don’t you want me to touch you? It would help with the pain and your senses would settle. Unless...you don’t want me.” It only just occurred to Will that Connor might not be on board with the whole bonding thing.

“I’m not going to reject you, Will, you know that,” Connor said evenly, and smiled gently at Will.

“Then why?” Will asked, getting desperate. His empathy and his Guide gifts were already changing, expanding, and the pull between them was almost unbearable now.

“Because touching might settle my senses and take away the pain, but it’ll also start the bonding process. And I need a clear head to talk to you first.”

“Talk?” Will asked incredulously. “You want to talk? Now? What about?”

“About the bonding. About you. Because you don’t seem like the kind of guy who buys into the whole ‘a Guide should engage in relationships with both genders so he knows what to expect’ spiel. I’ve only ever seen you dating women. Have you ever had sex with another man?” Connor’s voice was unexpectedly gentle and quiet.

Will felt himself blush. Damn his pale complexion; surely his face was as red as a tomato. “No, I haven’t,” he said through clenched teeth, feeling inexplicably embarrassed. “What does that have to do with the bonding? As soon as we touch we’ll both be turned on.” Will shrugged and tried a small smile. “And from what I’ve read it won’t matter that I haven’t been fucked by a guy before. The bonding drive will be so strong that I won’t mind submitting to you, letting you … you know … claim me in any way you choose. It’ll be fine.” At least Will hoped it would be. He’d been attracted to Connor for such a long time, getting to be with him felt like he’d won the lottery.

Connor sighed and rubbed his hands over his face, the pain he was battling showing through. “That’s exactly why I told you not to touch me yet. The last thing I want from you is _submission_. You’re not some … tool I can use to get control over my senses. I know you won’t mind me biting you and marking you because that’s an integral part of the bonding process, but I’m not taking any chances when it comes to the sex. I won’t hurt you by topping in a bonding frenzy. No, I think it’s better if we do it the other way around. I want you to fuck me.”

For a second Will just stared.

Then, following an impulse, Will slid from the couch and kneeled between Connor’s parted legs. He rested his hands on his thighs and bowed his head. “Mark me, Sentinel,” he said quietly. Will’s heart was beating wildly in his chest as he waited for Connor to touch him. Connor was right. It would jumpstart the bonding drive and Will’s instincts told him that despite the fact that it shouldn’t matter who topped whom during bonding, all of it would go a lot smoother if he allowed his Sentinel to mark him first, putting a claim on him in a different way than just through sex.

Connor sat frozen, his posture rigid, and Will wished he could read his Sentinel better, that he could touch Connor and _connect_ to him to get a better feel of what was going on with him. But Connor showed no signs of going along with Will’s request and Will was at a loss as to what to do next.

“Look at me, Will,” Connor said softly.

Will complied and looked up into Connor’s eyes. The strain of not touching, not bonding, was clearly visible on his face, but there was also something gentle and infinitely caring present in his features. It took Will’s breath away and warmth spread through his chest at the sight of so much emotion. 

“You’re my Guide, Will, and as my Guide you’re the most important person in my life. From this moment on you’re mine to protect and care for. Your well-being is and will always be my main concern. I will defend you with everything I am. I will not let you be harmed. You are my partner, my mate, my equal, and I’m telling you here and now – again – that I don’t want your submission. I’m going to mark you because that’s what we both need before this can go any further, but I’m not going to cheapen the moment by just … taking this from you while you let it happen. I need you to be my partner, Will.”

Tears pricked at Will’s eyes and he swallowed hard. Offering himself up to Connor like this had felt natural; it had felt right, as if it would make things easier on his Sentinel if he got to assert some sort of control over the situation. But maybe he’d gone about it a bit wrong. Maybe Connor needed to know that it wasn’t about submitting so much as it was about _offering_ , about consent being given. Every Sentinel and Guide pair had a slightly different dynamic between then but Will knew without a doubt that it just wasn’t in the make up of the bond to treat one partner as inferior. The bond wouldn’t tolerate any power imbalance. Sentinels and Guides needed to be equals for their partnership to work and it puzzled Will a bit that Connor had felt the need to point this out. Maybe all the mediation and control mechanisms Connor used impaired his feel for the bond they were already forming despite not having touched. 

“I’m your partner, Connor,” Will said sincerely. He reached up and tugged at the neckline of the burgundy scrubs he was still wearing, baring his neck and parts of his shoulder. “Please mark me. Not touching you is driving me crazy.”

Connor’s gaze went soft and he finally, finally reached out and cupped Will’s neck with his right hand. A second later his lips were on Will’s, unsure at first but then with more confidence as – Will suspected – his senses settled. Will gasped as his empathy seemed to expand and grow, reaching out to Connor’s mind. He was suddenly acutely aware of just how much it had cost Connor to stay in control of his senses, to stay lucid when every instinct, every fiber of his being screamed at him to claim his Guide.

“It’s okay now. I’ve got you. Let me help,” Will murmured against Connor’s skin. He leaned up and pushed at Connor’s scrubs, determined to get them both naked as fast as possible. Connor chuckled and did his best to get Will out of his clothes, too. It was a tangled mess of hands and lips and clothes landing everywhere until both of them were finally naked.

Connor’s chest was broad with dark hair, his tattoos a stark contrast on his skin, and Will had never wanted to touch anything so badly in his life. He ran his hands up Connor’s arms and pushed his fingers through Connor’s hair bringing them closer to each other in the process. When Connor started to press feathery kisses along Will’s jawline and along his throat, Will once again tilted his head and offered Connor better access to his neck. 

“Mark me, Sentinel,” he whispered, and this time he wasn’t denied. Connor licked and sucked at his skin, intermittently biting gently at his neck gently. He worried the tender, bruised skin until Will was sporting what felt like a very prominent hickey.

A proper bonding mark.

Will groaned as Connor pulled him even closer, his hard cock rubbing against Will’s own. Some of the territorial drive Will had felt from Connor before he’d marked him ebbed away, only to be replaced with an overwhelming desire to be closer to Will. It almost felt like Connor wanted to crawl under Will’s skin. Will could feel the tight control Connor had over his impulses, could feel Connor struggle to not just push him on the couch and fuck him senseless. So much for Will’s theory that letting Connor mark him would help with the bonding drive.

“Okay, how are we gonna do this?” Will asked and framed Connor’s face with his hands, forcing Connor to look at him. Connor’s pupils were blown, his breath labored, and Will marveled at his self-restraint, misguided as it was.

“You’re a physician, Dr. Halstead. Don’t tell me you can’t figure out the fastest way to get your cock up my ass.” Connor probably wanted to sound teasing but he was breathless and choked instead.

Will tightened his grip in Connor’s hair. “I think we should take this to bed instead of making do with the couch. And we need lube. I’m not gonna hurt you either, no matter how turned on you are.” He looked around the room, trying to remember where the medical lube was stashed in these suites. His brain wasn’t quite cooperating and all he could think of was that he needed to get back to the bonding sex, now.

Despite the fact that the Sentinel suites looked like a fancy hotel room complete with sitting area and a non-standard issue bed, the fact remained that it was still a fully functional hospital room, just with specialized air filters, a white noise generator, and Sentinel-safe medication. So all Will had to do was find the damn lube.

He got up from the couch and walked over to one of the medical cabinets that were placed beside the bedside table, pulling open drawers. Will could feel Connor’s gaze on him almost like a physical caress, which made thinking clearly a lot more difficult than he had anticipated. Usually he could find anything he needed in his sleep. He had to, in case of an emergency. Right now, though, it was as if the urgency he could feel from Connor and the pull of the bond was clouding his mind to a point where he was almost non-functional.

Will finally found the lube, but before he could turn around strong arms wrapped around him from behind and Connor placed a gentle, sucking bite onto his neck right next to the bonding mark. Will groaned and tried to disentangle himself from Connor enough to get his Sentinel on the bed, but Connor had other ideas. He wrapped his hand around Will’s cock and started to stroke him while trailing a row of kisses along his neck.

“Connor, Connor, stop or this is gonna be over before we even get started,” Will groaned, and gently pried his Sentinel’s hands away from his cock.

A sharp nip to the back of his neck followed by a growl was Connor’s only reply. Hot breath ghosted over the side of Will’s neck and Connor nibbled the lobe of his ear, sending shivers down Will’s spine.

“You need to hurry then,” Connor whispered in Will’s ear. “I wanna ride you, watch you as I take you in, see your face when you make us one, body and mind. That’s what you’re gonna do, isn’t it? Our minds will merge the same way our bodies do. Tell me, _Guide_ , have you fantasized about it? What it will be like to be that close to another person? To touch and be touched and to never have to be alone again? Will, I know you can you feel it too. Feel the pull of the bond.”

Will’s heart was racing and he felt dizzy from Connor’s closeness and the images he was painting. Thanks to his empathy, Will could feel Connor’s arousal, the desperate need to complete the bond and fuck each other’s brains out. The chase to feel complete in a way only Sentinels and Guides could.

Before Will could say anything, Connor reached around him and snagged the lube. “Get on the bed, babe, I’ll be with you in a sec.” Will found he didn’t have the energy to resist the gentle command.

Will climbed on the bed and shuffled around until he found a comfortable position. He watched as Connor prepped himself, plunging first two then three fingers up his own ass in rapid succession. It should have worried Will, the way Connor was rushing things, but Guide empathy made sure Will was intimately aware of just how turned on Connor was and how impatient he was to get on with the show. To finally have Will. It was a thrilling feeling and completely unexpected; he hadn’t thought he’d stand a chance with Connor up until an hour ago. Who’d have thought that they would end up together after all?

“You are way too in control, _Sentinel_ ,” Will said as he watched Connor toss the lube on the foot of the bed. While he was grateful Connor was still together enough to prep himself, the amount of control and awareness Connor displayed also had Will worried. Sure, Connor just fucking him even though Will had never been with a guy before wouldn’t have been ideal for their first time together either, but still preferable to Connor getting stuck in the wrong headspace.

Bonding was about instincts, about letting go and getting lost in each other. Will feared Connor might be too lucid to allow a mental bond, even if he was doing quite well with the physical part. If Connor’s rational mind fought Will’s mental bond they might end up with a partial bond or other complications, and that wasn’t something Will would wish on anyone. It was time for Will take charge.

As soon as Connor straddled him, slick hand holding Will’s cock still so it would be easier for him to control the pace and angle, Will started to mentally nudge at Connor’s mind. Up to this point Will had been able to feel and read quite a bit of Connor, but hadn’t tried to actually enter his mind or merge with him quite yet. His careful push was met with resistance but one that was not born out of malice. It seemed to be more self-defense than anything else.

Will gasped as he found his cock suddenly surrounded by heat, and Connor grinned at him triumphantly.

“Fuck. You feel amazing. Now, do your thing.” Connor tilted his hips experimentally, sending another rush of arousal up Will’s spine.

“I can’t,” Will said quietly, and reached up to frame Connor’s face with his hands. “I can’t do anything until you let go, Connor. I promised to be your partner, to be your Guide, but I need you to trust me for this to work. I know this is scary for you but I’m here. I’ve got you. I’ll keep you safe.” Will hoped he wasn’t making a mistake when he looked straight at Connor and said, “You need to let go of that control now, Connor. _Let go_.” He put his Guide gifts behind that order, pushed at Connor’s resistance gently but persistently.

Connor’s eyes widened in surprise as Will pushed at his defenses. Learning all those control techniques had done Connor no favors and, until he could leave them behind and give himself over to his instincts and the care of his Guide, their bond would not work.

Will kept up his insistent push at Connor’s defenses, careful not to hurt his Sentinel in the process. Suddenly, the boundaries gave and just like a floodgate opening, Connor was sent tumbling, his mind and senses in freefall. But Will was prepared. He wrapped Connor’s flailing mental presence in calm and peace, buffered him from all outside influences, and gently helped him focus his suddenly wayward senses. The Sentinel in Connor finally took action, taking in his Guide in every way possible, seeking shelter and comfort in Will’s mind as well as anchoring his senses in Will.

Connor sobbed and his arms gave way, but Will caught him and lowered him gently, his physical form being cradled as carefully as his mental one. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. I’ve got you. I’m right here. You’re safe,” Will murmured, and ran his hands through Connor’s hair in a soothing motion. Connor shifted and Will rolled them until they ended up on their sides, chest to chest, touching from head to toe. He’d slipped from Connor’s body but that wasn’t important anymore because Will could feel Connor starting to finally properly imprint.

It started out slow with Connor licking at the skin of Will’s collarbone while his hands explored every inch of skin he could reach. Within moments his movements turned frantic, his licks turned into bites, and his hands left finger shaped bruises on Will’s hips as he rubbed their groins together in the attempt to get more friction on his cock.

“I need to be closer,” Connor gasped as he roughly bit at the bonding mark. It hurt but it also sent jolts of arousal through Will, who enjoyed seeing his Sentinel come undone. It was a heady feeling to be the focus of those primal Sentinel instincts. The bonding drive was sending Connor rapidly spiraling out of control with Will as his anchor.

“I’ve got you.” Will repeated his earlier promise and pushed at Connor until he was flat on his back, looking completely debauched already. He snagged the lube from the foot of the bed, slicked up his own cock again, and entered Connor with one swift thrust. Connor groaned and his back arched, his hands twisting the sheets, and Will got some amazing emotional feedback from him. It was intoxicating. Connor’s mind was seeking him out, trying to merge with him the way their bodies had merged.

Will welcomed him, bonded them in the most intimate way he knew: mentally. Connor’s legs came up around Will’s hips, drawing him in closer, deeper. Will leaned down and kissed Connor messily, giving his Sentinel the chance to taste him in yet another way.

“My Guide,” Connor said, and he sounded more possessive than ever.

“Yeah, and you’re my Sentinel,” Will replied. He gave another little thrust that had Connor panting, thrilled by the knowledge that nothing would ever be able to separate them after today. Connor was his and he was Connor’s. Two parts of a whole.

* * *

Connor woke feeling sticky and exhausted and more alive than he could remember ever having felt in his life. Will, his _Guide_ , was asleep in his arms and Connor marveled at the awareness he had of his mate. It wasn’t just physical, it went way beyond what his shiny new senses could pick up, senses that were completely tuned in on the single most important person of his life. That thought alone was breathtaking in its intensity.

Will’s auburn hair was tousled and sticking up at odd angles, his long lashes threw shadows on his cheeks, and he looked as rested and at peace as he felt over their bond. The only thing that disturbed the picture was the dark purple bruise that was marring his Guides perfect, pale skin. That and the finger marks on his hips. Rationally, Connor knew that marking his Guide had been crucial to their bonding, but he faintly remembered having bitten Will again long after he’d created the first mark, and that memory sent a pang of guilt down his spine; he’d hurt Will even though he’d sworn to himself that he’d protect him.

“Stop that, please. I’m fine,” Will murmured, and blinked at Connor sleepily.

Connor stared at him in surprise.

Will smiled at him gently, a hint of fond exasperation entering the tone of their bond. “I bonded us mentally not two hours ago. I’m empathic, and completely tuned in to you right now. You really think I’d be able to miss the kind of guilt you’re dealing with? It feels like you dumped a bucket of ice water down my spine.”

“I’m sorry,” Connor said, and the guilt inside his chest intensified. It seemed like Will had gotten the short end of the stick with him.

Will sighed. His hand came up and cupped Connor’s neck, and Connor had to suppress the urge to lean into it, to rub against that gentle hand like a cat asking to be petted. His eyes drifted shut and Connor basked in the closeness and comfort his Guide was offering, even if he didn’t deserve it.

“You have nothing at all to feel guilty about, Connor,” Will said after a while, and the bond told him that Will absolutely believed his own words. It didn’t matter though, Connor still felt like he should have had himself under better control, should have been more careful with the person that had become the center of his universe in a few, short hours. His best friend turned Guide. His lover.

“Look at me, Connor,” Will requested, and Connor reluctantly opened his eyes. “If I’d wanted you in control, if I thought it would do us or our bond any good, I wouldn’t have pushed you. _I_ did that, Connor. I ordered you to give up control, because it was necessary for our bond. You should never have been that restrained and lucid in the first place. You let your training get in the way of your instincts.”

Connor knew Will was right. His head knew that he had done nothing wrong, and the bond told him that his Guide was content, sated and happy, but his gut told him that he had hurt the person he loved most in the world.

The thought of loving, of being _in love_ , with Will startled Connor a bit.

Will chuckled.

“You only now figured it out, didn’t you? Man, I have my work cut out for me. Only you, Rhodes, only you. I guess I have your old man to thank for that amount of insecurity. Jesus, and I thought my dad was an ass.”

Connor wanted to protest, wanted to deny it and say it wasn’t true, that his insecurities and his feelings of inadequacy had nothing at all to do with his family, but the words got stuck in his throat. And then Will was kissing him and the world faded away for a second. Will’s naked body was pressed up close, his hands wandering, kneading, teasing.

Heat pooled in Connor’s belly, and his cock took interest in the proceedings. When they came up for air Will rested his forehead against Connor’s own, their breaths mingling, hands and legs entwined.

“Let me make something very clear, Connor,” Will started, and even though his voice was gentle and his demeanor was calm, Connor knew he was serious. “I’m your Guide. There’s a reason why Guides come online way before their Sentinels. It’s so we’re ready, trained, confident and in control when you’re not, when you _awaken_. It’s in the very nature of the bond. And if there’s one thing we, _I_ , am not, Connor, it’s weak. Bonds only bind equals.”

Will’s gaze was intense and Connor felt his doubts and guilt ebb away.

“I could have stopped you at any time, If I’d wanted to. Everything that happened between us here, tonight, was welcome and wanted. And this?” He pointed at the bonding mark that sat dark purple against his pale skin. “I love this. I thought it was pretty damn hot that you went all possessive on me. I have no intention of covering it up, either. I want everyone to see it, to know that I’ve found my Sentinel and that we’re bonded and nothing at all can come between us.”

He paused and a frown rushed across his face. “I really hope Jay and Erin have an easier start of it. I have a feeling Erin might hit Jay up the head if he acted like you just did.” A wicked grin was playing around Will’s mouth and Connor needed a moment to figure out what Will had just told him. Erin and Jay?

“Jay _awakened_ , too?” Connor asked in surprise. He’d have to have a talk with his new brother-in-law soon.

“Hm, yeah, they brought him in just when I was called away to meet you. Not sure if he and Erin went home or if they bonded here, too. He had a cut on his forehead where he hit a table during his _awakening_.”

Connor sighed and something ugly froze in his chest as he recalled the events of the previous night; the fire and the losses they had suffered, the injured and the dying. “So it was bad enough that more than one new Sentinel _awakened_.”

“Yes, it was,” Will replied. “And you new Sentinels will get a chance to go all righteous anger on the ones who hurt your city and the people that are now yours to protect, but not right now, okay babe? Right now you need to calm down a bit, relax, and get used to the changes that happened literally overnight. You need to find your footing first and then you can get to work, okay?” Will pressed a soft kiss against Connor’s lips and Connor all but melted.

It felt so damn good. Will’s skin was warm and smooth, his scent a heady mix between comfortingly familiar and excitingly new, and Connor just wanted to get lost in exploring his new lover. He hadn’t gotten to touch and taste nearly enough earlier and he had every intention on setting that oversight straight. He’d take his time and learn everything there was to learn about how to please his Guide, how to best make love to him.

“Mmhhh, I like where your thoughts are heading,” Will commented, and Connor briefly wondered just how much information Will was getting over their mental connection. He knew it wasn’t exactly like mind reading but Will was able to figure him out easily enough.

“You do?” Connor grinned and cupped Will’s perfect ass in both hands.

“Yeah, I do,” Will replied with a grin.

“That’s good because I plan on getting to know you a whole lot better, _Guide._ I’m going to taste every inch of you.”

“I _really_ like the sound of that,” Will said, his voice going hoarse as Connor rubbed their cocks together.

Connor carefully brought all of his senses up a notch so he could experience Will’s reactions better, and then leaned over to gently bite the lobe of Will’s ear. Will shuddered and Connor grinned; they were going to have so much fun.

They only had a few more hours until they would have to go back and face the world, but until then Connor would make every single moment alone with his Guide count.


End file.
